In July, 2009, a total of 129 un-banked blocks were identified in the country. As a result of the concerted efforts made by the Government, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Banks in providing banking facilities in the un-banked blocks, the number of such blocks has come down to 93 in February, 2010.
The Geneva-based International Air Transport Association (IATA) has written to the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, calling for a relook at the Budget 2010-11 proposal to levy a service tax on domestic and international air transport.
The Government has informed the Parliament that the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has so far investigated cases relating to 49 companies. Giving this information in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Shri Salman Khurshid, Minister for Corporate Affairs, said that the SFIO has no power to convict the companies as powers to convict are vested with the Courts only. SFIO files cases in the appropriate judicial court for penal action after investigation.
Accounting Standard (AS) 10 (Revised 20XX) (Corresponding to IAS 16) Property, Plant and Equipment (Comments to be received by 19 April 2010). Accounting Standard (AS) 11 (Revised 20XX) (Corresponding to IAS 21) The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates (Comments to be received by 19 April 2010)
The central council of accounting regulator Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) met on March 13 to consider a second report submitted by its high power committee on Satyam. The committee, set up in the aftermath of Satyam audit failure, has come down heavily on the functioning of Big 4 firms – Deloitte, PwC, KPMG and Ernst and Young.
Turning the table on the Big Four audit firms about their India plans, corporate affairs minister Salman Khurshid has asked them to spell out unambiguously if they intend to start full-fledged operations in India, and be fully accountable for their operations in the country if permits are given.
The regular assessment tax (RAT) is one of best tools available to the Department to collect taxes. The collection from RAT not only showcases the effort of the Department to collect taxes but can also have a great deterrent effect on the tax evaders. During 2009-10, the Department has collected around Rs 31,242 crone from RAT which is around 8,74% more than the corresponding figure last year. The share of collection from RAT (as a percentage of total collection) has gone up from 921% in 2007-08 to 924% in 2008-09. However there is a great potential in augmenting collection from RAT.
In a landmark ruling, the Central Information Commissioner has passed an order which says information on refunds is covered under the Right To Information (RTI) Act. L Lakshmi Narayanan, an assessee, had filed an RTI petition with the (I-T ) department in Chennai, asking for information as to why was there a delay in the payment of his IT refunds for 2003-04, 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2008-09, amounting to Rs 3,32,457.
The initial public offer guidelines for the insurance sector is likely to announced next month, the Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority (Irda) said on Monday. “The guidelines could take a month time and Sebi will take the final call,” Irda chairman J Harinarayan said.
A reference to the Twilight Zone to many readers may evoke associations with the classic television series and film about strange and bizarre events. he general connotation, that of a transitional or ambiguous condition, has more serious implications in the business world – it is the Zone of Insolvency from which the companies emerge or perish. In colloquial parlance, though the terms are used interchangeably, insolvency and bankruptcy are not synonymous. Insolvency is a state of affairs in which the financial difficulties of a company are such it is unable to run its business at its current pace.
